Publix plans grand store expansion

Lakeland, Fla. – Locally based Publix Super Markets, has plans to add 340 stores over the next five years, which is more than a 50 percent increase over its current store base of 648 locations. It is unknown how many of the new locations will be replacement stores versus incremental additions.

Publix, an employee-owned company, had 1999 sales of $13 billion from its operations in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina, according to the Associated Press.